White Wine
by The Nerdy Samurai
Summary: A seventeen year old mutant named Artemis loves to fight.  However, the love for fighting causes bloodlust that causes her to become a killer.  She's recruited by Prof. X in order to surpress this urge, but changing her won't be easy.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Artemis

It was the new girl. She sat in the back of the bar, her head hooded, just like every other person that walked into the bar who wanted to cause trouble. She sat alone. It seemed as though she was waiting for something or someone. She never left.

Tyler sipped his drink as he stared at the back, watching to see if she would move. She didn't seem to budge, not one move. He sipped the liquid again, and watched.

"What are you doing, Tyler?"

Tyler looked up to the man named Sid, a former boxer whose career was ruined because of a slight mishap with his left eye. He ran the place which included illegal boxing tournaments down in the basement.

"I wouldn't mess with you if I were you," Sid said.

"Why not? She's just like the rest of 'em."

"You'd be an idiot to mess with that gal." He set down his tray and nodded. "She's been in here every day for the past twelve days. I didn't bother going over to ask why she was here so often, but I got one of the girls to ask her. She said she was looking for a fight."

"A fight?"

Sid nodded. "That's right. So she's been sitting there with her head hooded, scaring off my customers."

Tyler crossed his arms. "Well, if she's looking for a fight, I'll give her one." He raised himself out of the seat. As he did, the girl slowly turned to look at him. A crooked smile fell across her face.

"Something tells me you better watch your back," Sid said.

"I'll be fine," Tyler replied. "Hey… you."

The girl stood, and walked past them, heading straight for the lower level.

"Did she hear you?" Sid asked.

"I don't know." He shook his head, trying to get the strangeness out of his head. Unfortunately it didn't help.

"I think she just personally invited you to get beat."

"Shut up."

Tyler headed downstairs hearing the laughter coming from Sid behind him.

The ring was occupied with two amateur boxers, one obviously better than the other. Tyler felt bad for the guy with his head smashed into the mesh. He looked around to see the girl sitting in a chair outside on the opposite side of the ring. She stared straight at him.

"Hey, ref," Tyler said. "I'm next."

"Who's your opponent?"

He pointed to the girl. The ref raised an eyebrow, and ended the current fight. It was a clear win anyways.

Tyler stepped inside the ring and took off his jacket, then his shirt. The girl slowly stepped inside the ring and walked to the opposite side. She stood with her hands on her hips.

"You shouldn't do this," she said.

Tyler smirked. "What, you scared to have a fight? I'm not afraid to hit a girl. Why do you have that hood on your head? Are you ugly?" Laughter filled the room.

She cocked her head. "Do you ask so many questions?"

"Come on!" He said. "I'll take you on. I saw you laughing at me."

The girl unzipped her jacket, before finally sliding the hood off her head. She tossed the jacket in the corner and replaced her hands on her hips. Long, dark hair draped over her shoulders. Emerald eyes stared at him.

"I didn't expect this," Tyler muttered. He was younger than he expected, and pretty. "What's your name?"

"You said you wanted to fight me," she said. "Go ahead. Your move."

Tyler eyed the ref. He nodded.

He started to move in a circle. She followed. Then, he made the move: a punch.

She caught his fist, twisted it behind his back then kicked him into the mesh. This was going to be an easy fight.

He picked himself up and charged at her again. She slid under his legs.

The next thing he knew was that his face was pressed into the floor, and excruciating pain was coming up from his legs.

The ref broke them apart.

"Had enough?" She asked.

Tyler hopped up and began to charge again.

The girl landed a round kick. Hard. He crashed into the mesh again, and fell hard into the floor. Wind was knocked out of him.

The girl watched him gasp for breath.

"I think I broke ribs…" he groaned.

The ref called off the fight. "What's your name?"

"Artemis," the girl replied, picking up her jacket. She walked out of the ring, and back up the stairs.

Sid watched walk through the bar her head covered once again. She flashed him a smile.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: On the Road

_"Dad, I'm leaving." _

_"What?" _

_"I'm leaving. I'm getting out of here." _

_"What are you talking about, Artemis? You're not going anywhere.' _

_"Yes I am. I'm going away. You I don't belong here, so why should I stay. There's no point." _

_Artemis's father gazed up from the sheet of paper between his fingers. She looked certain, determined. _

_"Where will you go?" _

_"Somewhere. Maybe to Arizona." _

_"Arizona? That's over two thousand miles away." _

_"So? I can get there on my own." _

_Artemis watched her father as he blinked with slight frustration. However, she could also tell that he didn't care much that she was leaving. It was funny how she could still read behind his expressionless face. She knew him too well. _

_"Go," he said. "If you want to go, go ahead." _

_Artemis swallowed. "Don't try to find me. If I find out that your men are following me I'll even farther away." _

_"Farther?"_

_"Out of the country." _

_Artemis's father nodded. His eyes fell back onto the piece of paper. "Is that a threat?" _

_A threat? "I'm leaving now," she said. _

_He nodded. No good byes, no hugs, no pleads to make her stay here. _

_Artemis blinked and marched out of the office. _

_"You're still my daughter, Artemis!" She heard. "I will find you!" _

Wake. That was the first dream she had in months, and it wasn't a good one. Of all the things she could dream about it had to be that one time…

Artemis sat up, and rubbed her eyes. Cold air swept over her. Even though it was a bad memory she still found it funny. She never did what she said she was going to do. She never went to Arizona, has never been near the state. The truth was she spent most of her time in Canada, scouting around for any contractors. She figured since she wouldn't be able to get a real job she had to get money somehow. She found one, but a little while after the guy found a better fighter. Better than her? She didn't believe it.

Artemis looked around as the wind started to pick up again. She almost forgot she was spending the night in a tree. A tree branch bounced above her, nearly hitting her in the head. "Hey," she said. It bounced harder, this time knocking her off.

She covered her face, bracing for a hard impact. It wasn't necessary. She hovered just inches before she hit the ground, staring at the snowy grass. "Now it kicks in." She dropped to the ground, and stood, trying to remember what she just did. How did she do it?

Flying was new. She tried it so many times, but all attempts failed. Once was off of the house roof when she was thirteen. She ended up just floating then falling on her face. The second time was off of her dad's company's tower, two hundred and three feet into the air. She jumped, but of course her flight didn't kick in. She was saved by someone…something. She couldn't remember clearly.

Artemis jumped up and down but gave up when she figured it wouldn't work. Her boots stayed glued into the ground. She sighed and threw her knapsack over her shoulder. "I guess it's time to move on."

She hiked up to the highway, where she stood there for almost a half an hour. "If I could fly I wouldn't have this problem," she mumbled.

A luxury car rolled up in front of her. She quickly put her hand down. A jolt went up her spine. Behind the wheel was a man, a man she saw before but…but hopefully he wouldn't recognize her. She made sure her hood was covered over her eyes, and she quickly moved into the passenger seat.

"Where to?"

"Anywhere," she replied, keeping her eyes in front of her.

"Are you sure?"

"As long as you're not going to New York…or Washington D.C."

"You're a mutant?"

Artemis froze. He didn't know…did he? "No," she said firmly.

The car drove off and they stayed in silence for a while.

"I'm heading to British Columbia. Is that okay?"

"Sure."

"You don't talk much do you?"

"My mom said never to talk to strangers."

He laughed. "You seem to be a bit old for that, am I right?"

She didn't reply. Instead, he gave her a piece of paper. "Here."

Artemis looked at it then took it from his fingers. "What's this?"

"It's a name. A contractor."

"Contractor?"

The man sighed. "I know who you are, Artemis. You don't remember me, but I remember you."

Artemis shut her eyes. She knew it. It was a mistake taking a ride from him. "You're right. I don't remember you."

"You don't need to know my name. I won't tell your father, I promise."

"Why should I trust you?"

"You have no choice but to trust me."

"What makes you think I only have one choice?"

He smirked. "What are you going to do? You can't kill me."

"I can't?" She looked at him now, the smirk still across his face. "You don't know who, or what I am. What gives you the idea that I won't kill you?"

"Because you won't, that's why."

She stared at him for a while. "How do you know that? I'm not fourteen anymore."

"I know." Silence fell between them again. The man broke it again with, "My name is Edward. You may not remember, but I was the person who gave you that office on the top floor of your daddy's tower."

"I remember."

"They gave it someone else after you left."

Artemis didn't respond, but instead watched the road in front of her. "Why did you pick me up?"

"Because I wanted to." That's all he said.

"There's another reason."

"My son is a mutant."

Artemis shot him a glance. "Your son?"

"His name is Nate. He ran away, just like you. But unlike you he's not sleeping in the wilderness and fighting for money."

"I like fighting. It's what I do best."

"Artemis, I know we're strangers, but trust me that I won't tell your father. I'm starting to believe you really might do something to me."

Artemis couldn't hide a slight smile.

"You look cold. Do you want a jacket?"

"I'm not cold," she said. "I have a higher core temperature than humans."

"Are you sure?"

She didn't reply.

"How about something to eat? I'm sure you're hungry."

"No."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 The Contractor

"See, food helps, doesn't it?"

Artemis looked up from the plate of food, and realized what he was doing. She set down the fork and crossed her arms. "What is it, Edward?"

"Your father's worried about you."

"That's a lie."

He shrugged. "It seemed like the truth the last time I walked into his office. He was staring out the windows like he was looking for someone. Looking for you. I don't think he took you seriously."

"He never took me seriously," she muttered. "He didn't believe that I was a mutant until I proved to him that I wasn't human."

"What did you do?"

"I killed one of his officers."

Edward frowned. She said it so casually. "Did you really have to kill him?"

"He was going to take me to be tested for drugs without my permission. I…I lost control."

"Just like everyone else."

"What do you mean…like everyone else?"

"Like the other mutants." He was suddenly glad they were the only ones in the small diner. "I've been watching the news for months. The mutants that they show lose control all the time."

"And how do they deal with it?"

"I don't know." He sipped his coffee. "They get over it somehow."

Artemis glanced at the television on the wall. "What does Nate do?"

"What?"

"Your son, Nate. You said he was a mutant."

"Oh. He's able to create illusions."

"An illusionist. Wow."

"But dangerous."

"So he left?"

Edward nodded then glanced at the television. "Senator Robert Kelly. Still trying to pass that act I see."

Artemis went back to her food. She's heard about Senator Robert Kelly. Not much, but she knew that he was trying to publicize mutants. "Do you think it will pass?"

"What?"

"The Mutant Registration Act. Do you think it will pass?"

Edward shrugged. "I don't know. I can't say for sure. Congress is pretty uniform on the decision but something will intervene. Just watch." He looked at his watch. "It looks like your contractor is here."

"Where?"

He gestured to the blue pickup truck in the parking lot. A man walked inside with a cowboy hat and a leather jacket. He walked towards them.

"Is this her?" He asked.

"Artemis, I'd like you to meet Greg Morrison. He's looking for good fighters like you."

"Hi," Artemis said.

"How old are you little missy?"

"Seventeen," she muttered.

"Seventeen. Shouldn't you be in school?"

Artemis glanced at Edward, who was too busy receiving texts. Probably from work.

"No," she said. "I got my GED when I was fourteen."

"Hm. So you want to fight?"

"That's what I'm good at."

He seemed surprised still. "Alright. You can call me Greg. We'll have plenty of fights for you."

"Do I get paid?"

"Of course."

Artemis sat back and stared out the window again. "Good," she said soberly.

Edward placed his phone back in his pocket and straightened his tie. "Well, I'd better get going. My boss isn't going to like me if I'm late for this conference." He got up, nodded to Greg. "Take care of her," he said. "She's my boss's daughter."

"I can take care of myself," she muttered, as Edward left the diner. She was now alone with Greg.

"So, you're an heir to an empire."

"No," Artemis said. "I'm not an heir to anything. My brother is." She shook her head. "I don't want to talk about that right now."

"Well, let's talk about fighting. You don't appeal to me as the person that can fight."

"I get that a lot."

"I could imagine. Have you ever gotten upset over it?"

"No. I'm just glad I'm able to show them that I'm not just a pretty face." She glanced back at Greg, who sat, lighting a cigarette.

"You take pride in that, don't you?"

She didn't answer. "I have a feeling that these fights aren't going to be fights I'm used to."

"Maybe not, but they're fights. You get paid, I get paid. We're all happy. "

"What's the schedule like?"

"Well, that depends on how well I think you fight. The more you fight, the more you win. The more you win, the more fights you'll have." He stuck the cigarette in his mouth. "But there is one particular fighter who's coming back into the ring. This fight is a bit underground but…I think that kind of fight will suit you."

Artemis crossed her arm and thought for a moment. "You do realize that I may be on the move after a while."

"I completely understand. I'm a very understanding guy." He stood and gestured towards the exit. "Your first fight is in fifteen minutes."


End file.
